Trustees approve promotion, tenure for faculty: Indiana University Kokomo

KOKOMO, Ind. — The Indiana University Board of Trustees has approved promotion and/or tenure for 19 faculty members on the Kokomo campus.

Mark Canada, interim deputy chancellor and executive vice chancellor for academic affairs, congratulated the faculty members.

“Tenure and promotion are deeply meaningful endorsements of a faculty member’s achievements and potential,” he said. “With all of these individuals working for our students, disciplines, and community, IU Kokomo’s future is bright.”

Those receiving promotions include:

Mary Bourke, professor of nursing. She came to IU Kokomo in 2006. Bourke earned a Ph.D. from IU Bloomington with specializations in community health nursing, curriculum and instruction, and instructional systems technology. She’s advanced her knowledge of statistics with graduate courses on advanced Rasch Analysis at the University of Western Australia, University of Leeds Medical School, and the University of Cambridge. Honors include the Elizabeth Lion Distinguished University Service Award, Trustees Teaching Award, National Institutes of Health Internship award, and the Ruth Scott Dieter Award. She earned a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) from IU, and an Associate of Science in Nursing (ASN) from Bacone College.

Kelly Brown, professor of criminal justice and homeland security. Brown joined the faculty in 2003. She serves as chair of the Department of Criminal Justice and Homeland Security and had co-led numerous KEY travel experiences for criminal justice students. She’s also received Applied Learning Grants to study topics including parenting and deviance, and private security at Walt Disney World Resort. Brown earned a Ph.D. in Criminal Justice from the University of Cincinnati, a Master of Science (M.S.) in Criminology and a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Criminology from Indiana State University, and an Associate of Science in Law Enforcement (A.S.) from Vincennes University.

Paul Cook, professor of English. He joined the faculty in 2012. Cook has served as faculty senate president and campus coordinator for the American Democracy Project and Digital Polarization Initiative. He also founded the IU Kokomo PodFest and serves as co-host of IU’s Digital Gardening podcast. Cook is an IU Digital Gardener Initiative thought leader and ‘grounding gardener. He earned a Ph.D. in English, with major area in rhetoric and composition studies, from the University of South Carolina, a Master of Arts in English (M.A.) from Auburn University, and a Bachelor of Arts in English (B.A.) from Winthrop University.

Gregory Steel, professor of new media, art, and technology. Steel joined the faculty in 2002. A sculptor, his work has been exhibited in galleries and exhibitions including the Galleria Zero, Barcelona, Spain; the Monaco Art Fair in Monte Carlo, the New York Art Expo, and Gallery Attaché, London. He’s taught classes in philosophy of art, critical issues in contemporary art, sculpture, digital imaging, video production and editing, film theory, drawing, and experimental media. Steel has received New Frontiers travel grants for research from IU. He earned a Ph.D. from the Institute for Doctoral Studies in the Visual Arts, a Master of Fine Arts (M.F.A.) in arts and new genres from the University of Michigan, and a Bachelor of Fine Arts (B.F.A.) in sculpture from the College for Creative Studies.

Leda Casey, teaching professor in geology. Casey came to IU Kokomo in 2010. She was the founding director of the Office of Sustainability, where she implemented the Recycle Only Office initiative and successfully applied for Tree Campus USA designation. She’s received two NIPSCO Sustainability Grants for the Persimmon Sustainability Camp on campus. She’s also earned IU Kokomo Exceptional Teaching recognition, and the IU Trustees Teaching Award. Casey has led KEY trips to Yellowstone National Park and is director of Freshman Learning Communities. She earned a B.S. in Geology and an M.S. in Earth Sciences with a focus on hydrology research from IUPUI and is currently earning a Doctorate in Education at IU.

Joann Kaiser, teaching professor in communication arts. Kaiser first came to IU Kokomo as an adjunct faculty member from 1989 to 1997, and then again in 2008, before being appointed as a visiting lecturer in communication arts in 2008. Kaiser is program coordinator for the Bachelor of Arts in Humanities degree. She has directed numerous IU Kokomo theatre productions, including You Can’t Take It With You and The Crucible, and assisted with other productions. Kaiser received the campus Outstanding Educator Award and is a three-time winner of the Amicus Award, which is voted on by students. She earned a Master of Divinity from Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary, and an M.A. in Speech and a B.A. in Speech and Theatre from Ball State University.

J.R. Pico, teaching professor in Spanish. Pico came to IU Kokomo in 2006. He also serves as director of the Latinos Unidos: Hispanic Center and coordinated a program with the family nurse practitioner program to assist with medical clinics in his home country of Colombia. Pico currently is co-authoring a study on plant-based diet as an agent of change in the Hispanic/Latino population and has researched in historical preservation and renovation in Havana, Cuba. He’s received the IU Trustees Teaching Award, the Chancellor’s Excellence Diversity Award, and the Virgil Hunt Faculty Service Award, among others. Pico earned an M.A. in Spanish from the University of Arkansas, an M.S. in Computer Education from Universidad Antonio Nariño, and a B.S. in Education, Modern Languages, from Universidad del Atlántico, and has earned numerous certificates in languages including English, Spanish, French, and Italian.

Heidi Sebastian, associate clinical professor of radiologic sciences. Sebastian joined the faculty in 2004. She’s served as a faculty mentor and program director for radiologic science. She’s a member of the American Society of Radiologic Technologists, and the Indiana Society of Radiologic Technologists, which she served as president of the board of directors and District 4 president. She has presented at numerous professional conferences. Sebastian earned a Master of Public Management (M.P.M.) in Health Management from IU Kokomo, a B.S.in Allied Health Professions: Radiologic Technology from The Ohio State University, Columbus, and an Associate of Arts (A.A.) from The Ohio State University, Newark.

Scott Blackwell, senior lecturer in philosophy. Blackwell joined the IU Kokomo faculty in 2013, and currently serves as the coordinator of the philosophy program. He has received an Amicus Award, chairs the faculty senate’s distance education committee, and is a master reviewer for Quality Matters. Blackwell earned a B.A. and M.A. in English from Purdue University. 

Kelly Fisher, senior lecturer in criminal justice and homeland security. She joined the faculty in 2016. She is director of the campus crime lab and has co-led numerous KEY trips in criminal justice and homeland security. Fisher’s awards and grants include the Strengths Based Education Faculty Learning Community and the Faculty Fellows Program-Experimental Learning Academy. Fisher earned an M.S. in Criminology from Indiana State University and a B.S. in General Studies from IU Kokomo, with concentrations in criminal justice and social and behavioral studies.

Shawna Lewis, senior lecturer in nursing. Lewis joined the faculty in 2012 as an adjunct clinical instructor. She is chair of the School of Nursing and Allied Health Professions curriculum committee, worked with student nurses providing immunizations, and served on the KEY Initiative Committee. Her research interests include increasing the percentage of children who can swim, particularly among minority populations, improvement of rehabilitative services for drowning survivors, and increasing education to parents for drowning prevention. Lewis earned an MSN and a BSN from IU Kokomo, and a certificate in diabetes management from the University of Southern Indiana.

Kim Mossburg, senior lecturer in health science. She joined IU Kokomo in 2013. Mossburg is the campus’s founding sports nutrition program director and is chair of the Healthy Initiatives committee. Mossburg has received numerous grants for programs including a campus garden, CPR training manikins, children’s cooking classes, and a Hispanic/Latino nutrition education program. She earned an M.S. in Physical Education with emphasis in athletic training from Indiana State University, and a B.S. in Physical Education, with teaching certification, from Liberty University. She completed courses for her Registered Dietitian certification from Marshall University and the University of Charleston.

Peter Tupa, senior lecturer in mathematics. He joined IU Kokomo in 2013. He is the math lab coordinator. Tupa has received the Trustees Teaching Award.  His research interests include computational modeling of stellar atmospheres, comparative genomics, and bacterial growth simulations, with numerous publications in those areas. He earned a Ph.D. in physics from Lehigh University and a B.A. in Physics from Hiram College.

Those who were promoted and received tenure include:

Ghadah Alshuwaiyer, associate professor of allied health sciences. Alshuwaiyer joined the faculty in 2016. She is a board member for the campus Applied and Community Research Center and received the Trustees Teaching Award. She’s also been a FACET Fellow. Alshuwaiyer earned a Ph.D. in Health and Exercise Science, in Health Promotion, from University of Oklahoma, Norman; an M.S. in Health Science with a concentration in Health Administration from Towson University, Maryland; and a B.S. in Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation from King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Angela Coppola, associate professor of allied health sciences. Coppola came to IU Kokomo in 2015. She is health sciences coordinator and director of the Applied and Community Research Center. She’s received the FACET Innovate Award for Community Engagement, the Trustees Teaching Award, the Indiana Campus Compact Faculty Fellowship, the Gerald Bepko Community Engagement Award, and the Indiana LEAP COVID Character Honors award. She earned a Ph.D. in Physical Education and Recreation, with a behavioral medicine and health psychology concentration, and a specialization in community-based research, from the University of Alberta; an M.S. in Sports Studies, Kinesiology and Health, from Miami University, and a B.A. in Psychology with a minor in marketing from Hofstra University

Hyunkang Hur, associate professor of public administration and health management. He joined the faculty in 2016. He’s received the IU Kokomo Distinguished Research and Creative Activity Award, a summer faculty research fellowship, the Junior Faculty Scholarship Award, and the Best Article Award for the Asia Pacific Journal of Public Administration. He earned a Ph.D. in Public Management and Public Policy Analysis from IU Bloomington, a Master of Public Policy from the University of Maryland, College Park, and a B.A. in Public Administration and Business from Sungkyunkwan University, Seoul, Korea.

Wayne Madsen, associate professor of new media, art, and technology. He joined the faculty in 2015. His work has been exhibited in Greece, Serbia, Korea, Japan, London, Norway, and many other international group exhibitions across the United States and has been selected best of show by jurors from the Smithsonian, The Met, and the National Gallery. He earned an M.F.A. in Digital Arts from San Jose State University, and a B.S. in Psychology and B.A. in Visual Arts with an emphasis in painting from Brigham Young University.

Beau Shine, associate professor of criminal justice and homeland security. He came to IU Kokomo in 2014. He’s been a faculty mentor for new student orientation and is criminal justice and homeland security graduate program coordinator. He’s also faculty advisor for the Criminal Justice Association and criminal justice and homeland security sophomore sojourn coordinator. Shine received an Emerging Leaders in Community Engagement Award from Indiana Campus Compact. His research interests include evidence-based practices, rehabilitation and reentry, substance abuse, and criminal justice and higher education. Shine earned a Ph.D. in Criminal Justice and an M.S. in Criminal Justice from University of Cincinnati, and a B.A. in Communication from Western Michigan University.

Xiaoqiong (Crystal) Wang, associate professor of finance. Wang joined the faculty in 2017. She received the Trustees Teaching Award, a grant-in-aid of faculty research, an IU Sustainability grant, an applied learning grant, and a Women of the Well House grant. Her research interests include mutual funds, insider trading, international finance, corporate social responsibility, and share pledging. Wang earned a Ph.D. in Management Science, with a concentration in finance, from University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, an M.S. in Finance from Syracuse University, and a B.S. in Finance from Southwestern University of Finance and Economics in Chengdu, China. She also earned a graduate certificate in business analytics from IU Bloomington.

Education is KEY at Indiana University Kokomo.